


the best defence

by Fee_Verte



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Chapter Three is the Second Chapter of the Story, Civil War Team Iron Man, Gen, Not A Fix-It, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Second Chapter is a Halloweeen Special
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-07-08 12:41:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15930653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fee_Verte/pseuds/Fee_Verte
Summary: The Rogue Avenger are coming back? Tony always finds a solution...





	1. all is not forgiven

“…I can confirm that Captain America and his Rogue Avengers will come back and get a pardon.” Tony stared numbly into nothing, hearing that last sentence on repeat. His hands shook.

“Boss? Your heartrate is spiking, can I do anything for you?”

“No. Thank you Friday.” No, sadly his dear girl Friday couldn’t do anything. And he couldn’t either, his influence on US politics wasn’t strong enough to stop- to stop Cap from returning.

If- when they were here again… That was the stuff of his newest nightmares: Him completely at their mercy again. He- he couldn’t do that.

But they would come.

 

Oh god they were coming…

 

 

 

“Boss? You are in New York, in the Stark Tower. It’s…”

“Friday-“ Tony swallowed. “It’s not a panic attack.”

“Your vitals are concerning.”

“I am panicking, but it’s not a panic attack.”

 

Friday didn’t answer him for some time, then she spoke in a small voice. “I don’t want them to come back either.” Dum-E and Butterfingers beeped in agreement.

Tony smiled, even if every human would abandon him, he could always count on the support of his bots.

“I will find a solution. I always find a solution.” And he had already a hint of an idea. He didn’t want to have to work together with the Rogue Avengers again. (Which he knew would happen when they came back, he was able to read the writing on the wall…) He didn’t want to be where they had unlimited access to him. (His lawyers didn’t think he could get a restraining order against them- him.) If they came here, and he didn’t want to meet them?

Tony smirked. “Friday show me a world map with the newest approval rates the Rogue Avengers get. Green for an approval rate of over 60%, yellow for 50% to 60%, orange for 40% to 50%, light red for 30% to 40% and dark red for everything below 30%. Grey for countries we don’t have any data for.”

“On it, boss.”

As he expected large parts of the map were grey, but those parts that weren’t? The US, broken down into the states (Friday was the best), was mostly yellow, with some green and less orange. Europe was a canvas of orange and light red, with some sprinkles of dark red. Nigeria, South Africa and South Korea were all, one light, two dark.

Beautiful.

“Grey the countries I’m not allowed into.” Sokovia became grey. “Then the countries that will allow the Rogue Avenger entry once they get the pardon.” Three countries remained a dark red: Germany, Nigeria and Romania. Other red countries became striped or dotted.

“Stripes?”

“The decision hasn’t been made yet. The dots are for countries who allow some Rogue Avengers entry.”

“Alright. Grey out the striped countries for now, but if the situation changes, notify me.”

“Will do.”

“And grey out the countries which allow Steve Rogers entry.” All the dotted countries became grey.

So… either Germany, Nigeria or Romania…

 

Stark Energy was the leading energy supplier in all those countries, well to be truthful, it was the leading energy supplier almost everywhere. But it had begun in Germany, ARC technology – clean and cheap electric energy for the masses – had been what they needed for their nuclear and coal phase-out.

“Friday, I want to move the headquarters of Stark Energy to Germany, begin planning for it. And for a production plant. My tower has become a bit small to produce all the ARC reactors I need. Headquarters of Stark Communication to Nigeria. Production to Nigeria and Romania.” The mobile phone market of Africa was a fast growing one. And spreading out headquarters and therefore taxes wouldn’t hurt.

“Stark Medical to… wherever I will live, it’s too new and small.” Maybe in the future…

“Stark Industries, well, when will I have two thirds of the shares?”

“That point has been reached while you were recovering from Siberia. I estimate that you will have three quarter of the shares in six to nine months.”

Tony blinked, that had been faster than planned.

“A panic sale began when the public wasn’t sure if you would survive or not.” Friday was truly adorable when annoyed.

He hummed. He could finally do anything with that company, without the other shareholders interfering or kicking him out. Again. Tony was so glad that the other companies he had founded since Afghanistan were only his, and not part of Stark Industries.

For the next hour and a half he was busy deciding which parts of the company would stay in the US, which would move slowly as the people he had hired would retire or quit. Where new projects would be built, and where the new headquarters and R&D would be. He had some countries in mind and his lawyers would contact them and offer a deal: get the Stark Industries headquarters or R&D if the Rogue Avengers won’t be allowed entry.

Hopefully someone would make that bargain.

Then Tony could decide in which country he would move to. And while he was at it…

“Friday contact my architects, I want the Compound gone and replaced with an affordable housing project by the time the Rogues come back.”

* * *

The Rogue Avengers would get a pardon and come back to the USA?

  Then Tony, all of Tony’s money and tech would be elsewhere. Where the Rogues couldn’t follow.

 

They want Iron Man to be on their team again?

  It was about time for Iron Man to retire anyway. The Iron Legion was at a point where it was doing better than Iron Man.

 

And Tony to be the armourer, financier and scapegoat of the Avengers?

  You are welcome to kiss his ass.


	2. Halloween Special: help from the unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is dub-con coronation a tag?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There‘s a Halloween special, may be continued, haven‘t decided yet.  
> It isn't chapter two of the story.

Today wasn’t Tony’s day. The talks about his emigration didn’t go anywhere at the moment. There was some unfathomable reason why he couldn’t become a resident or citizen of another country, and nobody wanted to talk about it. But they were visibly scared, hardened politicians and diplomats looking scared, it was- It made Tony nervous and jumpy.

Suddenly the lights in his lab flickered. Tony grabbed his chest. His pulse was spiking. He had designed this lab, from the power grid to the tables. It should not be possible, that the lights flickered. His ARC Reactors were too good to fail, same as his light bulbs (who were way better than anything on the market). And everything was monitored and controlled by Friday. Even if there was a failure of some sorts, she should have warned him…

"Friday? Do you hear me?" There was no answer. Oh fuck! An attack? That was the only reason for what was happening. And on a day where he didn’t wear his watch-gauntlet. Luckily it was just over on the other table. Now he needed the whole emergency suit-

There! A noise! Behind him, of course… Tony whirled around, arm raised and gauntlet ready to fire. He saw nothing.

"Good. Very good. Fast reflexes are a boon for every monarch." That voice? He recognized it, that was Victor von Doom. But where was he? Tony looked everywhere and saw nothing out of place, even the flickering had stopped.

No… That was not true. There was a green light, faintly pulsating in one corner. He shot at it. There was a crackle and a standing Doom was revealed. The shot didn’t hurt him, sadly.

"I am here to talk." Said Doom. He sounded very pleased.

"Talk?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "Sure- just like every villain who shuts down my AI and breaks into my lab. They all want to talk to me, and only talk."

"You are not my type Stark, so yes, I only want to talk. I have heard about your… troubles with your team." Doom paused.

Was this a recruitment? Did Doom believe that Tony was just a few bad decisions away from being a villain? Why did people always think that? Why? Tony began to panic; how do you refuse a super villain without getting mauled?

"I heard that you wish to leave the USA. That you flee from your team." That stopped all of Tony’s panicky thoughts in their tracks. Doom shouldn’t know that. He had only decided to go away three days ago.

Tony swallowed. "They are not my team, not anymore."

"Yes." Pleased villains were creepy. And Doom was totally smiling, even if Tony couldn’t see his face, that was not helping at all.

"Let me explain." Doom began to talk. "I am old and have ruled Latveria for over a hundred years, it is time for me to retire. But Latveria need a ruler, a monarch, and for so long… You are the first appropriate candidate in decades. And now you are in a situation where you could use the power of Latveria. So, I have come to give the crown to you."

"What?" Tony was incredulous. He? King of Latveria? "Just, what the fuck?"

"Is it not the perfect solution? I wish to retire, and you will be able to use the power I give you to keep away those that have hurt you. Now, accept the crown, become king, and rule absolute."

He really, really shouldn’t be thinking about accepting that offer, but… "That sound way more alluring than it should."

Absolute monarchs were bad. But this would help him so much. He would never again have to fear that the bans on the Rogues would be lifted because the USA wants it to be lifted – the entire US-Market against taxes from Tony? And there was that invisible threat to his plans. Someone was trying to keep him in the USA, didn’t want him to emigrate.

"It is decided!" Doom moved one of his hands and a stone appeared before him.

"Wait! Wait, I didn’t agree to do anything." Tony had only been thinking about accepting, he hasn’t said anything, had he?

"I feel the magic of the land leaving me. In your heart you have decided. Now there is only one thing left to do."

Magic? Fuck, how he hated it. Why couldn’t the universe be more logical? And he had to do something?

"Do I pull out a sword from that stone?"

"Oh no! No, nothing so mundane. Here, take this." Doom materialised a dagger and held it out.

Tony reached out and took it, he didn’t really want to take it, nor to become king, but there was something…

Dooms voice sounded deeper when he spoke – or did he begin to sing?

"Bleed on the pact as you will bleed for Latveria if she is attacked."

"Bleed on the pact as your heart will bleed for the Latverians that need help."

…

 

Tony walked to the stone as if hypnotised. Dooms chant continued and became louder and louder.

Tony made a cut in his left palm and held the bleeding hand over the stone.

 

Drip. Drip. Drip.

 

Blood began to flow, not much blood, but enough. The stone began to glow and change colour. At first, he felt nothing, then a burn, slowly, very slowly began it to devour him.

That was the moment his head cleared. He tried to step back, to flee. But he could not move. Maybe talking-

 

 

 

 

"Boss?" What? "Boss?" It was Friday’s panicked voice that woke Tony up. He was lying on the floor in his lab. He didn’t see much, but enough to know that there was no stone, no Doom, no blood. And he didn’t feel any pain… Had it been a dream?

Tony lifted his hand so that he could look at it, there was a cut… So, it had been real?

Tony tried to stand up, he must- Ouch! As soon as he began moving his head began hurting. Friday was still talking in the background, but Tony couldn’t concentrate on her. His head hurt too much.

He managed to get on his knees, then, using the table, he stood up. Alright, now-

Fuck, it really, really hadn’t been a dream… There was a crown – or a circlet, whatever – just lying on his table, in his lab. One belonging to him. How he knows that? No idea…

 

Oh fuck! What had Tony done? Now he had a whole country? Millions of people he was responsible for? What had he done?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason why nobody dares to let Tony immigrate is Doctor Doom, of course.


	3. roguishly reaction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter: The promised reactions of the Avengers/ Rogues to Tony leaving, etc.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (As I have had many comments about it: once again, the Halloween Special is a Halloween Special, not chapter two of the story)

Her new bug-drones were the best! Thought Friday to herself as she was watching the Rogue Avengers through one of them. They have no idea that I’m the fly who’s annoying them. (Her bug drones were bugging the Rogues; and she wasn’t chuckling, of course not…)

“What do you mean we can’t live here anymore? That’s the Avenger’s Compound and we are the Avengers?”

“Mr. Rogers, that was the Avenger’s Compound. Dr. Stark didn’t live here anymore, and it was before anyone knew that you would be returning, so Dr. Stark did a good thing and changed the Avenger’s Compound into a housing complex for the struggling and poor.”

Heh! The picture of the Rogues shocked faces will be the best thing to show Boss. But that poor attendant who had to show them around and guide them…

“Where can we stay then?” Romanova was the first to get back her composure.

“Ah…” The attendant looked even more uncomfortable. “You have gotten rooms in one of the military barracks, and you will have some financial support if you want to get your own places.”

“But Natasha, we can stay here, no?” The idiot did really say that? Fun!

“Can you imagine the headlines: Avengers throw out the poor from their homes!” She made a pause. “No, we can’t live here anymore.”

“Dr. Stark had the insides changed to small apartments, none of the previous structures are there anymore.”

They did good when they planned that! Friday was so proud of Boss and his friends…

 

* * *

 

The meeting about planning a good defence of the NY area had only just begun and Peter already wished he had taken Mr. Starks offer to go to High School abroad. (But Aunt May! – He was so going to College and University abroad though, that offer he had accepted)

But back to the meeting, it had begun going downhill when Rogers had asked where Mr. Stark was. Peter was shocked, didn’t they watch the news? Mr. Stark going had been the number one story for the last days at least.

“Mr. Rogers” their harried superior began. “Mr. Stark choose to emigrate and retire from the superhero business. We informed you of that in the memo we send you.”

Rogers didn’t look happy at all. “If you have something important to say to us, you will tell us in person, and not send us an- an email.”

That produced a tired sigh. “No Mr. Rogers, we don’t have the time to personally inform each of you when something important comes up. And it’s important that you can later read the memo again, and not just rely on what you may remember of a conversation. We will continue sending you memos. And you will read them.”

Rogers looked mulishly but resigned. “Alright. And how are you going to get back Tony? Iron Man is an important part of the Avenger’s strategy.”

Get Back?! Mr. Stark would never again work with the Rogues, wasn’t that clear to everybody?

“Mr. Rogers… Mr. Stark is free to live anywhere he wants. And as he is a new citizen of Germany and the EU it’s understandable he wants to live in his chosen home.”

“He can’t do that…”

“Yes Mr. Rogers, he can.”

 

* * *

 

_**Memo: Weekly Update** _

_…We regret to inform you that the upgrades and replacement of the Quinjet you asked for can’t be done due to budget cuts. Please use the issued helicopter instead._

 

“One wouldn’t think that an individual was the better financier than the USA…”

If Friday had eyes, she would be rolling them constantly. The Rogues would probably react better to the announcement of the Apocalypse better than they did to the newest budget cuts. (And of course, Tony is the best backer…)

“Before the whole superhero business came about, the USA may have been able to finance us, but now that they have to rebuild and repair almost one city or town per week?”

Everyone looked at Ant Man in surprise. Okay, so maybe Friday at least was surprised, the others were more blank faced.

“Don’t tell me you didn’t notice how superheroes and extra-terrestrial threats upheaved the economy and society… Even you should have noticed it, everyone knows that…”

The following silence made Friday cackle.

 

* * *

 

**_Stark Medical Begins Producing New Cancer-Curing Nano-Technology_ **

**_Sark Energies Introduces the World to A Spaceship Generator_ **

**_Stark Industries Makes a Deal with England to Equip them with the New Mobile Defence Robots_ **

 

Watching the news with the Rogues during their monthly team meetings (as required by Rogers) was tedious. Peter didn’t know where they got the energy to complain **every** time Tony was brought up, which happened often. It was just like it was during Peter’s childhood, only now it was less scandals (none to be honest) and more about Tony’s ground-breaking inventions. Everybody said it was because he had more time since retiring from Iron Man. Which was true, Peter had seen it, but it was also because Tony was inventing stuff to help people, not to kill them, or so Tony had told him during his holiday in France.

 

**_Harley Keener, Tony Stark’s protégé, presents his nonlethal energy weapon, and it may change everything!_ **

 

Luckily, Peter would soon live with Tony just like Harley…

“It’s almost like Stark had a kid.” said Sam.

“Has anybody done a DNA test? I mean, can anyone stand to be near him for long if they aren’t obligated to?”

Peter sighed silently, and here they go again… He cleared his throat.

“Well, as we are speaking about Mr. Stark’s mentee… I have accepted his offer to mentor me way back. And now that I finished High School, I plan to move to him, and go to University in Europe. So… Yeah… I will resign from the Avengers, of course…”

Silence followed Peter’s announcement. He left before the Rogues could say anything. He had packed everything and sent his official resignation letter to the Avenger Management Division. The rest of Peter’s life could begin…

 

**_Tony Stark Officially Begins to Mentor a Second Fatherless Engineering Genius_ **

**_Are Harley Keener and Peter Parker Tony Stark’s bastards?_ **


End file.
